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Tag Archives: Nuclear Weapons

The Islamic State “has an apocalyptic ideology and believes there is going to be a final war with the United States,” expects to win that war and “would need very powerful weapons to do so . . . if they ever did turn to nuclear weapons, they have more people, more money and more territory under their control and more ability to recruit experts globally than Al Qaeda at its best ever had.” ~ Professor Matthew Bunn of Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

I have sometimes disagreed with Matthew Bunn – mostly on missile defense issues. But I applaud his apt summary description of essential aspects of the existential threat posed by the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS). ISIS is my preferred label rather that the “Islamic State,” whose operatives reportedly are now present in at least 20 countries around the world, including the United States, and seek to extend globally their intended Caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

Bunn’s quotation was buried in an important March 25, 2016 New York Times article, “Belgium Fears Nuclear Plants are Vulnerable.” As my regular readers know, I am seeking to assure that our nuclear reactors remain viable following a major electric grid shutdown. So, I find this concern to be valid, and not only in Belgium. Indeed, the reported attacks on nuclear reactors in Belgium are clear warning of possible ISIS interest in carrying out such an attack more generally – including here in America.

The nuclear power plant in Doel, Belgium.

Before elaborating this point, let’s reflect on the conditional aspect of Bunn’s warning of the existential threat that ISIS will pose “if” they turn to nuclear weapons. Surely they will turn to nuclear weapons if they can.

Iran has discovered an unexpectedly high reserve of uranium and will soon begin extracting the radioactive element at a new mine, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation said on Saturday.

The comments cast doubt on previous assessments from some Western analysts who said the country had a low supply and would sooner or later would need to import uranium, the raw material needed for its nuclear program.

Any indication Iran could become more self-sufficient will be closely watched by world powers, which reached a landmark deal with Tehran in July over its program. They had feared the nuclear activities were aimed at acquiring the capability to produce atomic weapons – something denied by Tehran.

“I cannot announce (the level of) Iran’s uranium mine reserves. The important thing is that before aerial prospecting for uranium ores we were not too optimistic, but the new discoveries have made us confident about our reserves,” Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

Salehi said uranium exploration had covered almost two-thirds of Iran and would be complete in the next four years.

Uranium can be used for civilian power production and scientific purposes, but is also a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

The United States and other world powers will help to teach Iran how to thwart and detect threats to its nuclear program, according to the parameters of a deal reached Tuesday to rein in Iran’s contested nuclear program.

Under the terms of a deal that provides Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief, Iran and global powers will cooperate to help teach Iran how to manage its nuclear infrastructure, which will largely remain in tact under the deal.

Senior Iranian officials, including the country’s president, celebrated the deal as a victory for the country. Iran’s state controlled media quoted President Hassan Rouhani as saying that the deal will “remove all sanctions while maintaining [Tehran’s] nuclear program and nuclear progress.”

In what is being viewed as a new development, European countries and potentially the United States agreed to “cooperate with Iran on the implementation of nuclear security guidelines and best practices,” according to a copy of the agreement furnished by both the Russians and Iranians.

This will include “training courses and workshops to strengthen Iran’s ability to prevent, protect and respond to nuclear security threats to nuclear facilities and systems as well as to enable effective and sustainable nuclear security and physical protection systems,” according to the text.

What Does Obama Think The Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles Are For?

Referencing Iran and the United States with regard to the interim nuclear deal, Barack Obama said that “both sides have kept their commitments” even though Iran has not. Judge Jeanine called him out for it Saturday night on her Fox News show.

“Signing any agreement or deal with Iran would be a disaster. It would be a problem for me and it would be a problem for you,” Pirro said.

Barack Obama said it is the “best opportunity in decades to pursue a different future between our two countries” in a video clip Pirro played. She commented saying, Iran is one of the countries Obama is referring to and it would appear that the other is the United States, as currently it is “his to destroy.”

“I don’t want to have a different experience with Iran. In fact, I don’t want to have any experience with Iran as long as the Ayatollah Khamenei is running the joint,” Pirro said. “I personally am not on a suicide mission. I’m looking to hang around as long as I can.”

Pierre played another Obama clip in which he says, “Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has issued a fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons and President Rouhani has said that Iran would never develop a nuclear weapon.” [That’s good enough for me, what say you? Actually, no one can find this alleged Fatwa.]

Judge Jeanine Pirro said with no holds barred, “Are you kidding?” After she elaborated, she played a clip of Obama boasting of how the deal will benefit Iran and its people – it’s about jobs!!!

It’s the same gibberish Marie Harf tried to sell recently about getting jobs for terrorists as a solution to terrorism. When dictator Morsi was elected president of Egypt, the administration talked about starting a U.S. taxpayer-funded program to secure jobs for Egyptians. Now that Egypt has a leader who wants to fight terrorism, Obama won’t give them the time of day.

Pirro reminded Obama that it is Americans he is supposed to look after – the people he’s constantly undermining and apologizing for – he is supposed to find jobs for Americans, not terrorists.

Pirro thinks Obama is looking for a nuclear-armed Iran and for retaliation against Israel since Obama lost in his effort to unseat Benjamin Netanyahu.

Obama is either the smartest radical Islamist sympathizer in modern history or he is a patsy and a fool. Take your pick.

The most recent talks in Geneva between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif may have completed a major step toward a landmark nuclear accord that the Obama Administration believes will diminish Tehran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon. The potential deal, as reported by the AP and The New York Times, would impose uranium stockpile and enrichment limitations on Iran, and Tehran would have to submit to a restrictive verification and inspection regime for a period of 10 to 15 years. In return, sanctions on Iran would be lifted, and its status as a uranium-enriching nation would be prescribed under international law.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz stated , however, that if the emerging US – Iran nuclear agreement did not include measures preventing any nuclear cooperation with North Korea or other rogue states, it would be meaningless, referring to North Korea’s previous clandestine and illegal nuclear projects in Syria – “We all know that Iran, Syria and North Korea are very close to each other,” he said.

Yet the Obama Administration appears to ignore this potential loophole in order to conclude an agreement acceptable to Iran. Unless specifically prohibited and enforced within the terms and conditions, Tehran may attempt to sidestep the protocols by “outsourcing'” parts of the bomb production process to North Korea, Iran’s long-term partner on everything from launch missiles to guidance systems to nuclear war head technology and other required components.

Iran now has all the technical infrastructure to produce nuclear weapons should it make the political decision to do, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper wrote in a report to a Senate intelligence committee published Wednesday. However, he added, it could not break out to the bomb without being detected.

In the “US Intelligence Worldwide Threat Assessment,” delivered to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Clapper reported that Tehran has made significant advances recently in its nuclear program to the point where it could produce and deliver nuclear bombs should it be so inclined.

“Tehran has made technical progress in a number of areas — including uranium enrichment, nuclear reactors, and ballistic missiles — from which it could draw if it decided to build missile-deliverable nuclear weapons,” Clapper wrote. “These technical advancements strengthen our assessment that Iran has the scientific, technical, and industrial capacity to eventually produce nuclear weapons. This makes the central issue its political will to do so.”

In the past year alone, the report states, Iran has enhanced its centrifuge designs, increased the number of centrifuges, and amassed a larger quantity of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride. These advancements have placed Iran in a better position to produce weapons-grade uranium. . .

Update: Let’s see how our gutless leader handles the U.S. being threatened with nuclear weapons. AFP story added below (original tweet deleted).

SEOUL (AFP) — The North Korean army said Thursday it had final approval to launch “merciless” military strikes on the United States, involving the possible use of “cutting-edge” nuclear weapons.

In a statement published by the official KCNA news agency, the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) said it was formally informing Washington that reckless US threats would be “smashed by… cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike means”.

“The merciless operation of (our) revolutionary armed forces in this regard has been finally examined and ratified,” the statement said.

“The US had better ponder over the prevailing grave situation,” it added.

North Korea had threatened a “pre-emptive” nuclear strike against the United States a month ago, and last week the supreme army command ordered its strategic rocket units to combat status for strikes on the US mainland and US bases in Guam and Hawaii.

“The moment of explosion is approaching fast,” Thursday’s statement said, adding that a war could break out on the Korean peninsula “today or tomorrow”.